My husband and I made a last minute decision to do a "courthouse wedding" before our big event in…read moreorder to ease some legal and moving issues we were having. 7 days before our selected date, we realized courthouses close at 4pm on Fridays and we were planning to pick up our marriage license that day--at 3:30pm after work. Cue Rev. James Chun--I send him an inquiry at 8:30pm on a holiday and get a phone call him from him within 15 min saying let's book your beach wedding. 5 days later, my in-laws flew down from the mainland and with my parents, brother and grandfather, witnessed a beautiful and intimate ceremony at sunset at Magic Island. James was not only professional and helpful in the whole process, but despite not knowing us at all, truly found the words to capture our love and curated a ceremony that was truly "us." I cannot recommend him enough and feel so thankful he was the one to go on this adventure with us!!

Rev. James Chun helped my husband and I feel at Ease during our rehearsal the day before our…read morewedding by making sure we both knew what to do and gave us discrete little cues incase we forgot some steps for the day of the wedding. He was easy to communicate with. His directions for our rehearsal were clear and easy to follow. During the day of our wedding he ensured our ceremony went smoothly, he informed our guests it was an unplugged ceremony and that he would give them a moment once he pronounced us husband and wife to pull out their phones and capture the moment. He even stepped aside during our kiss at the alter. He is very professional and down to earth. I highly recommend working with him. He will ensure you are comfortable and will make sure your day is everything you hoped for and more.

We booked CIHW for day-of coordination, and it was quite literally the best decision we could have…read moremade. While Jayvee was very helpful during the initial planning stages, a scheduling conflict arose two weeks before our wedding, and we were handed off to Leah. Despite the short notice, Leah took over and was incredibly thorough. We scheduled multiple meetings in those final weeks to ensure she knew our vision inside and out. She immediately began checking in with our vendors to ensure everything was on track. Since we were planning from Canada (not sure why our profile says SF) and had never seen our venue, we did a walkthrough with Leah and Monique once we arrived. By the time we hit the rehearsal the day before, they knew our plans well and were identifying small details we hadn't even thought of. The real "kicker" happened the morning of the wedding: the island and our venue flash flooded, and we were forced to call off the day after hair and makeup were just wrapping up at 8AM. In what would have been a breaking point for most couples, Leah, Monique, and Jayvee were our rocks. They helped calm us down and worked tirelessly with our vendors to reschedule everything. We let them know our venue preferences (no ballrooms or conference rooms, we're in Hawaii!) and they assured us that we would be able to plan something for the next day. In less than 24 hours, they helped us plan an entirely new wedding despite unknowns about the weather. Within hours, they secured a brand-new venue, negotiated the rental of a tent left over from a previous event, coordinated with all vendors to rearrange arrival times and logistics, adjusted floor plans, and rental counts due to a shift in guest attendance, and so much more that we probably don't even know. While the total change in venue and timeline led to some unavoidable delays, we saw Leah and Monique working incredibly hard to pivot and make the day beautiful. They "married" our original vision with these new, emergency arrangements as perfectly as possible. It was also the nicest day we had experienced on the island since landing several days before, a huge blessing. Once we finally made it down the aisle, they kept us on schedule and completely stress-free. Because of them, we were able to actually soak in and enjoy our wedding day, even though everything felt brand new. Having Leah and Monique by our side was a true blessing, we cannot recommend them enough for their expertise, heart, and ability to perform under pressure. Leah, Monique, and Jayvee - we love you!

From the moment I reached out to them a year before my April wedding, I knew I was in good hands…read more We chose the partial planning package, and the level of care, communication, and attention to detail we received felt above and beyond. Jayvee, Chiara, Elena, and Mina were absolutely incredible. They responded to emails promptly, walked us through every detail during planning meetings, and truly listened to what I wanted -elegant and simple. On the big day, they brought that vision to life flawlessly. I didn't have to worry about a thing. They handled everything with calm professionalism and kindness. One moment I'll never forget was when I realized I had forgotten my veil, and the venue was ready to start the ceremony without it. Even after I expressed that I really wanted to wait, they pushed to begin on time. I was feeling pretty heartbroken at the thought of walking down the aisle without something that felt so special to me. Jayvee stepped in and advocated for me without hesitation -she firmly and graciously pushed back multiple times, insisting that we wait. Thanks to her, we delayed the ceremony about 20 minutes until the veil arrived, and I got to walk down the aisle with my veil! I'm forever grateful for that moment. We also had a transportation issue less than a month before the wedding when the shuttle company we had originally booked suddenly bailed on us. It was a stressful moment, but Cherished stepped in immediately, found a reliable replacement, and handled all the coordination. The entire day flowed beautifully, from ceremony to reception, and I received so many compliments from our guests about how stunning and seamless everything felt. Thanks to The Cherished in Hawaii Weddings Team, I was able to be fully present and soak in every moment of the most beautiful day I could have imagined. I truly couldn't recommend them more. Mahalo Cherished!

We were very lucky to have F&K facilitate our wedding. Tessa and her team are very well organized,…read moreand I like how straight forward Tessa is. She does not jump around the bush, she will tell you her opinions. The entire team at F&K are very responsive at keeping you informed. The day of our wedding was very smooth sailing. I love the details that Henry and Midori pay close attention to. Tessa's assistant, Ashley, who I met the day of my wedding was exceptional. She was very calm, extremely helpful, organized, and such a sweetheart. I wish I had met Ashley sooner during the planning phase because she is someone that could be your friend! Our evening was so fun, and we are so grateful that F&K could be a part of our day.

We hired Fred and Kate Events for our wedding at Lanikuhonua since the venue requires a licensed…read morewedding planner. We chose their full-service package as this package included sourcing vendors for us, but hiring them turned out to be the biggest mistake of our wedding. 1. Subpar vendor sourcing The vendor recommendations were completely misaligned with our vibe and significantly overpriced. They provided only a single option per category with zero room for comparison. We ended up having to research, vet, and book almost all the other vendors ourselves to get the vibe we wanted at a much more affordable price point. 2. Day-of logistics & communication failure Despite asking for our bus driver's contact details in advance, the team did not coordinate with him. Our driver had to repeatedly call us directly on our wedding day while we were trying to get ready and enjoy the moment. When we brought this up to the team, the excuse given was simply, "Oh yeah, we have never worked with him before." As professional planners, coordinating with new vendors is the bare minimum expectation. 3. Rude and unprofessional attitude on the day A wedding planner should keep the atmosphere calm and positive. Instead, Tessa created unnecessary stress and hostility: a. Disrespectful to Our Officiant: Our officiant, a close friend who walked us through marriage preparation and flew all the way to Hawaii, politely asked Tessa a logistical question and was bluntly told, "Now is not the time to be asking these questions." Right before our march-in, she was openly talking rudely about him in front of our entire bridal party, killing the excitement and making everyone feel uncomfortable. b. Aggressive tone with groomsmen: During the groomsmen photoshoot, she snapped at one of the groomsmen for chewing gum, aggressively telling him: "Is that gum? You either spit it out or you swallow it." 4. Zero Accountability We hesitated to write a public review and reached out privately via email first to share our experience. Their response did not include a single apology or acknowledgment of their shortcomings. Every single external vendor we sourced and hired on our own was fantastic, but Fred and Kate Events consistently added tension, failed on coordination, and treated our closest friends and family with disrespect. Would totally look elsewhere for wedding coordination.

We knew that having a destination wedding in Hawaii as a couple who lived on the east coast would…read morebe a challenge, and that whoever we chose needed to be both perfect and affordable. We interviewed with 3 different planners, and ABC ended up being ultimately the perfect fit for us. We loved all the work we saw on the website/social media, and knew that we needed a comprehensive package of some sort since we were busy healthcare professionals working in NYC. We had our initial consultation call with Mackenzie, who was so great, eased our minds, and laid out everything we needed to know to help us make our decision. We made a decision before the end of the week, as we felt the involvement of ABC and their ability to both help design and contact vendors on our behalf with us being so busy would be helpful (and it really was!). We chose the elite planning package - we basically had bi-weekly video calls where we went over specific talking points and their orderliness and helpful input really helped us round out our tough decisions. Whenever we needed something more urgently, we were even able to text Mackenzie and Sammy and they were always so willing to assist. Sammy eventually came on to become one of our lead coordinators and we could not rave about her more! Even when we ran into some challenges in the months leading up to the wedding (unexpected vendor changes, inclement weather, etc) Sammy was always 10 steps ahead and really ensured that we had the best outcome possible even before we knew what was happening. We were being photographed outside by the water on the NORTH SHORE with a storm approaching (IYKYK) and Sammy was by our side with a platter of pupu's and cocktails ready to be blown away! Even with Tropical Storm Lala literally making headway for our wedding, Sammy (along with Natalie & Autumn) helped make our wedding perfect. We are so grateful and could not recommend them more. :)

We are beyond satisfied with Aloha Bridal Connections and would choose them again and again! We had…read morethe pleasure of working with Mackenzie, Natalie, and Sammy, with Autumn also helping on the day of -- and I truly feel like I made a genuine connection with each and every one of them. They are such wonderful people, and they helped make our day beyond special. Everything I envisioned for my wedding came to light, and it simply would not have been possible without ABC. They are organized, responsive, reassuring, and so much more. I especially appreciated how seamlessly they handled all the behind-the-scenes work and the communication with our vendors -- it let us be fully present and enjoy our day. If you're looking for a coordination team that truly cares, ABC is it. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!

We love Keoni! We found out about him through the Bridal Expo we attended. We actually never…read morestopped by his booth, but after the expo, he sent out a mass email to everyone who attended and we just fell in love with his photos. They were bright, romantic, and timeless -- exactly what we wanted out of our wedding photos! Since we were planning for a Hawaii wedding from California, we were happy when mostly everything was communicated through email and phone. When we visited Hawaii before the wedding, we decided to take engagement photos with him to get to know each other better before the wedding... and oh my goodness, can't say enough amazing things about the whole experience. It was a windy and somewhat gloomy day up in Tantalus where we took our photos, and paired up with the fact that my husband and I can't stop laughing when we're forced to be "lovey" with each other, I was extremely concerned about them not turning out nice. Keoni was a great "director," telling us how to pose and what to do. Since it was the holidays when we took our photos, he got back to us a little later than expected, but they were so worth the wait. I actually cried looking at them and was so in awe at how he captured those shots when we were laughing most of the time. He uploads them on a website where you can share, view, and download them. Easy process! Keoni made us feel so comfortable and he's a funny and friendly guy. Not sure if he does photography outside of weddings, but if he does, we would 100% work with him again. I recommend him to all my friends getting married in Hawaii. BONUS, he now does packages with Inspired Films Hawaii for wedding photo + video! We were lucky enough to have already hired Inspired Films with him, and on the day of the wedding, they truly were in sync and a pleasure to work with. I can't wait to see the final products!

My husband and I chose Keoni as he came highly recommended by our wedding coordinator and we are so…read moreglad we did! Keoni clearly has a passion for shooting weddings. He is fun to be around, brings a lovely team along and ensures that he captures all the important moments without intruding any intimate moments. Coming all the way to Hawaii from Germany, we knew we needed a reliable partner that we found in Keoni. He was right there for all of our questions and always approachable. We really enjoyed the first pictures we received and are so excited for the full set. Keoni clearly goes above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction and to capture this very special day in the best way possible. I would like to emphasize the great angles he found and the good eye for landscapes and the nature as such, which we felt is really important when you are getting married in such a beautiful spot. All in all: We strongly recommend Keoni as a wedding photographer. Thanks again Keoni for capturing our day!

Easy peasy wedding in front of a judge. I was already stressed out with wedding planning…read more(pre-covid) but looking back I'm glad we went this route. Saved a ton of money. It was really easy. Schedule an appointment, but first you have to get your marriage license at the Department of Health in order to get married. You and your soon to be spouse have to go to the DOH together in person to get the marriage license. Then you have to take the marriage license to your appointment (I think it's within 30 days or something, you don't have to go on the same day). When I called to make an appointment, the woman who answered was really patient with me and really helpful. We chose a Saturday in December 2020 since we both work M-F. Got there about 15 mins early, waited in our car and saw another couple go in before us. The judge was able to take us earlier than our appointment time - we were in and out in about 10 minutes! The judge was so nice and took tons of pictures of us using my iPhone. She also let me record the entire wedding (the ceremony took about 4 mins) so I could show my family later (they didn't come due to covid). On Saturdays it's easy because the courts are closed and there is plenty of street parking. It's in a small hole in the wall on the same block as Circuit Court. Just around the corner, or across the street from Nio boba place. Inside is pretty small, because of covid they didn't allow anyone inside (I think it was max 1 or 2 guests). Maybe it's changed now but good to call and double check. Note: lighting isn't all that great inside and the AC was blowing loudly. So in my video it's a little dark and hard to hear but oh well. Had to edit the video to make it lighter. If you are wondering what to wear - I actually came the day before to pay and saw people wearing whatever's. Some wearing all white, some super casual, some in office attire. I wore a casual white mini dress and my husband wore a floral collared shirt with slacks.

judge Shirely(?) did a great job, I was pleasantly surprised how friendly & warm the judge was…read more She was quick and efficient but also made us feel very comfortable. If you're looking for a quick and easy wedding I'd recommend.

Long Overdue Praise for Joseph Esser and His Incredible Team…read more This review is long overdue for Joseph Esser and his phenomenal team of photographers and videographers. If you're searching for a wedding photographer and videographer in Hawaii, look no further -- Joseph and his team are truly among the best. From the very beginning, I was impressed by Joseph's professionalism, warmth, and incredible attention to detail. In the months leading up to the wedding, he collaborated closely with my amazing wedding planners, Fred and Kate, to review the timeline and ensure everything was aligned. That preparation paid off -- the entire day ran smoothly and stress-free, allowing me to fully enjoy every moment. Joseph and his team arrived punctually and were ready to capture the magic from start to finish. They didn't just take photos -- they preserved moments. Looking back at the images and videos now, I'm filled with joy reliving those memories with my husband. What truly sets Joseph apart is how much he cares. His energy and positive attitude were infectious -- he had us laughing all day, which naturally translated into joyful, candid photos full of smiles. Beyond his personality, it was his instinct and thoughtfulness that left a lasting impression. For example, during our grand reception entrance, we used a money gun that left fake bills scattered all over the dance floor. Before our first dance began, Joseph got down on his knees and cleared the floor himself -- not something you'd expect from your lead photographer, but it speaks volumes about his commitment to the perfect shot and a smooth experience. Similarly, during the ceremony, when my wedding train and cape needed adjusting, Joseph didn't hesitate or wait for a bridesmaid -- he stepped in and fixed it himself to ensure everything looked flawless. These small, meaningful actions showed just how much he truly cares about his clients and the quality of his work. Joseph and his team worked tirelessly for nine hours, and the final results were nothing short of spectacular. Every guest who's seen our photos and video has commented on how stunning they are. We also opted for a 10-minute wedding highlight video -- and I highly recommend it! The timing of the music, lyrics, and our vows were perfectly matched with the visuals. The attention to detail, from the transitions to even the placement of our names on the Cover page -- Everything was intentional, thoughtful, and beautifully executed. As someone who is very detail-oriented, I was blown away by how aligned Joseph and his team were with my vision. Their passion for what they do shines through in every frame. They don't just document a wedding -- they tell a story. Thank you, Joseph, for being such an integral part of our day and for capturing it so perfectly. You and your team are truly the best -- mahalo from the bottom of our hearts!

TL;DR: Joseph is a wonderful person and a stellar…read morephotographer with an eye for capturing the essence of his couples and the true magic of the day! He and his photo/video team were so much fun, and you won't regret getting a chance to work with them! The Long Story: Our wedding planner recommended Joseph after my now-husband and I told her how photography/videography were among our top priorities for our big day. During our first call with Joseph, we immediately sensed that he'd be a great fit. He was delightful and easy to talk with, and his extensive knowledge, thoroughness, and patience in walking us through our many questions made us realize we'd be in the hands of a true professional. So after reviewing his gorgeous portfolio of wedding photography, we ended up booking a 10 hour photo/video package (which included an engagement shoot and photo booth as add-ons). Our engagement shoot (which we highly recommend doing with Joseph before your wedding day so you can get to know him and get used to being photographed) quickly solidified our opinion of him as both an excellent photographer and an awesome person overall! He woke up bright and early to meet us for sunrise and even went above and beyond by helping me find someone willing to do my hair and makeup at the last minute, which I was incredibly grateful for. The session started out with some rain, but Joseph was super chill and suggested we wait and see what happens. Sure enough, the rain clouds parted, treating us to a gorgeous sunrise. My husband and I are super awkward when it comes to photos, but Joseph made us feel so at ease with his fun, infectious personality and his thoughtful approach to directing us. Funnily enough, this engagement rain experience repeated itself on our wedding day, when a seasonably late Kona low was pouring rain all over the island during the week of the wedding and into the big day itself. Despite the gloom of both the weather and the bummed out bride (aka me), Joseph and his team brought bright, positive vibes from the get-go. They showed incredible care and flexibility given the circumstances and pivoted seamlessly when the weather prevented us from doing our first look at our originally planned location. When we were running ahead of schedule, Joseph and his main videographer, Jimi, even made sure to get extra photos/videos of us in some cool locations nearby. And when the moment of truth came for our actual wedding? Pure magic--no rain for the ceremony and a stunning sunset! Joseph and his team did an incredible job at capturing just how unique that day was, and we're grateful to have had them there by our sides throughout. Thank you, Joseph and team, for capturing such wonderful memories for us! P.S. Check out Joseph's wedding podcast, Unveiling Paradise! We were featured on Episode 69, and in that episode, Joseph does a wonderful job breaking down how photography is handled when weather threatens your big day :)

Everything was beautifully done and filmed. Yannis was a one-woman crew and made sure that our…read morespecial day will always be remembered. Turnaround time was perfect. Thank you so much for everything. Would highly recommend

Yannis is talented, easy to work with, and well-prepared before the wedding day. She asked us about…read moreour opinions and toured the venue with us during rehearsal. We are deeply touched by the final video which combines our Chinese culture and Western ceremonies.